Jar, Not Jewel
by The Symbol of Faith
Summary: Kaito thought that after all his experiences with the supernatural, nothing could surprise him anymore. Naturally, it's only after he stops searching for the mythical Pandora does it decide to grace his presence. Or, Shinichi doesn't know what to make of this case presented to him - he's a detective who deals in logic, what logic is there in a haunted house? (KaiShin/ShinKai)


**AN: **Posted in response to Challenge 11 of the Fandom Games going on on Tumblr! Fandom Games – Round 3 – Challenge 11 – Ghost Hunt AU for the fandom (choice: Detective Conan)

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Creative license with the term "ghost", basically dealing with lots of malevolent spirits here lol.

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* * *

Jar, Not Jewel

* * *

Shinichi looked at the man sitting across from him with clear skepticism.

"Repeat that."

"I think I'm being haunted."

"Kuroba Kaito, I am the _last _person you should come to for a potential haunting."

"Meitantei!" Kaito pleaded, "Look, I know you don't believe in ghosts –"

"You're right, I _don't _."

"– but you _must _believe me!"

When Kaito had suddenly appeared at Shinichi's doorstep, years after they'd made an agreement of staying out of each other's civilian lives after the take down of the Black Organisation, needless to say Shinichi was surprised. Knowing that whatever reason drove Kaito to seek _him _out for help must be serious, he invited the thief-turned-law-abiding-citizen in.

Shinichi looked at Kaito's determined face and sighed. "If you want someone to entertain your belief in the supernatural, go to Hattori, he'd gladly take a look at your case."

Kaito didn't budge, "I want it to be you."

"Then you should know better than to call it a haunting - at least if you'd said _stalking _-"

"You were at the clock tower."

Shinichi stopped talking at the abrupt non-sequitur. "What?"

"All those years ago, there was a heist at the clock tower of Ekoda. I remember thinking that whoever was managing the KID Task Force that night was exceptionally skilled," said Kaito, leaning forward to emphasise, "that it was the first time I had come _so close _to being actually caught."

Shinichi swallowed. "Ah, that was you. I remember, I shot at you."

"Yep," Kaito grinned sharply, "call it a debt then Meitantei, you owe me."

Shinichi sunk back into the sofa. "Talk. And you better make sense."

* * *

"So you mean to say, that the house you have been living since the past _twenty _years, is haunted." Shinichi looked at the house Kaito had brought him to, a modest two-storey with a front yard and attached garage.

"I'm not making a baseless claim, Meitantei – and when you stay the night, you'll know what I mean."

"Sure," Shinichi sighed as he followed Kaito into the house, dropping his overnight bag in the living room as they moved to the kitchen for lunch. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

Kaito let out a questioning hum as he pulled out the rice cooker. "Meitantei? That's what you are, isn't it? _Great detective _," his eyes danced, a smirk curled around his lips. "What do you want me to call you instead?"

"_ Kudou. _My actual name," Shinichi said exasperatedly, "I don't call you Kaitou Kid, do I?"

Kaito shrugged, "I'm not a Phantom Thief anymore, you're still a detective."

"True," Shinichi narrowed his eyes, "You never did tell me why you stopped moonlighting as a thief."

"Need to know basis, Meitantei, need to know."

Shinichi tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Alright, I won't pry – tell me more about the haunting."

* * *

As Kaito said, it happened at night. Every night at 12 am, just as it did that night, the garage door beeped.

"It's locked, I can guarantee it," said Kaito when Shinichi got up to check. "Besides, that's really nothing. It's the next part that… well, terrifies me."

The garage door kept beeping for a while, but as soon as it stopped a whirring noise filled the house. Kaito exhaled shakily, moving closer to Shinichi where he stood at the foot of the stairs.

"Wait a bit, this is just the beginning -"

He'd barely said it before the room was awash in red. Shinichi sucked in a gasp. Every light bulb, every lamp, even the microwave on the counter seemed to be emitting red light instead of the usual white.

"What…? How - I - the _microwave _?"

"That's not the terrifying part," said Kaito, walking towards the window and jerking the curtains away. Red light poured in. He gave Shinichi a bitter smile. "How do you turn this off, Kudou? No switch to cut off electricity here."

_When you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. _

Shinichi had lived by that statement his whole life. It was the basis of his deductive reasoning. But how would logic explain _this _?

"Stay here," said Shinichi, half running towards the door and pulling it open – red. Red again.

"Wait, stop – where are you going?"

"Stay in there, Kaito!"

Shinichi shut the door behind him and his vision turned black. He swayed, steps faltering as he tried to walk across the lawn. His head was pounding, he realised, and his body felt weighted… every step he took was an effort, every breath a painful gasp. His chest felt tight with emotion, a swirling mass of them, each clamouring for attention in his head - _he couldn't hear, he couldn't see, he couldn't feel _-

A hand landed on his shoulder. "Shinichi!"

Shincihi spun around to see Kaito, his grasp tight on his arm, pulling him back to the house.

* * *

"Are you an idiot?" Kaito said as soon as they entered the house, "Do you think I haven't tried to see the effect of this light? The extent of it?"

Shinichi shook his head, "I had to experience it myself."

"What for? I told you what happens! I told you everything- you were just supposed to - supposed to…"

"Find out what's haunting you?" Shinichi said, finally finding the strength to stand up straight. "I have."

Kaito gaped.

"What's that look for?"

"Nothing!" Kaito shook his head, "Just… that was quick."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow, "Actually, I'm surprised _you_ haven't realised already. After all, you went outside in that red light too, didn't you?"

Kaito nodded uncertainly.

"First, tell me, what all have you stolen from the Black Organisation?"

"Oi!"

"And do any of them have some relation with Pandora?"

Kaito froze. "I never found Pandora, Meitantei. You know that. Not a single jewel… but," Kaito hesitated, "well, you might as well see it yourself."

* * *

"Welcome to the KID cave!"

Shinichi stood a bit stupefied as he descended into what was a clearly hidden basement. "KID cave, like _Bat _cave? Are you serious?"

As he took a look around, Kaito moved to the nearby shelf and brought back a clay jar. Shinichi looked at him with incredulity.

"Tell me, _why _, why would you keep a jar in your basement when you know the original myth of Pandora?"

Kaito scowled, "The Pandora I was searching for was a doublet gem! Not a _jar. _"

They looked at the seemingly innocent piece of pottery for a while. "Can't believe it was with the Black Organisation all along. Why did they continue searching – did they not know?"

Shinichi shook his head in equal confusion, "Maybe the jar didn't give them such an obvious hint." He gave Kaito a glance, "Well? Didn't you promise to destroy it?"

Kaito gave a strange smile. "I'd hoped I wouldn't have to. I don't think I have a choice though."

* * *

When the clay jar had been smashed and swept off, Kaito finally asked Shinichi what had been bothering him for a while, "How did you know it was Pandora?"

"It was the colour red, that was the first hint," said Shinichi, "I'm surprised you didn't actually."

"Maybe, because I chose to associate it with something more common - you know, like _danger_?!"

"Also, according to the myth, Pandora released evil spirits of sickness and disease from the jar. Did you not feel yourself growing weaker the longer you spent in that red light?"

Kaito hummed thoughtfully, "As expected of Meitantei, not even a ghost can defeat you! This would only boost your popularity!"

Shinichi sat up in alarm, "No! We tell no one of this case."

"Why not?"

"Solving cases of _ghost haunting? _I'd be laughed out of the detective community – hey, this is not a funny matter, Kaito – stop laughing!"

* * *

_._

_._

_._

_Omake_

_... _

"Tell me honestly Kaito, why did you ask me?"

"It really was because of the clock tower," Kaito smiled, "Remember the witch in my highschool class I told you about, Koizumi Akako?"

"The one I didn't believe in."

Kaito laughed. "Yes, her. She warned me before that heist, said I shouldn't go because it was dangerous, that the one with the aura of the devil would be there."

Shinchi gave him an incredulous stare. "Aura of _what_ now?"

"You heard me," Kaito was clearly having too much fun, "and with how cases literally fall at your feet, there's totally some correlation with you and spirits. So for a case of haunting, who else could I go to?"

* * *

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**AN: ****Well? How is it? Do let me know! **

**REVIEW!**


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